The Marriage of Summer and Winter
by Alory Shannon
Summary: Set post-series. Sasuke has returned to Konoha. He's gotten his revenge; now he's got to rebuild his clan. Choosing her as his wife is political, but Hinata understands...perhaps more than he realises.
1. Intentions

_A/N: ...I haven't abandoned my OTP, but I AM very annoyed at Sakura over her behaviour in recent chapters. (Think it shows? Just a little? No? Too vague? Guess I'll have to try harder next time, then. XD) This is probably just a one-shot, but we'll see.  
_

_Also, anyone who's read my other fics knows that I am NOT a Sakura-basher, so don't even start with that.  
_

* * *

"Hyuuga Hiashi. I am here to ask for the hand of your elder daughter in marriage."

The servant who announced the visitor and then left to fetch them some tea has hardly stepped out of the room, but Uchiha Sasuke has never been one to mince words, and the events of the past few years have, if anything, only served to make him more direct. No political maneuvering, no pleasantries, no putting the other party at ease or off their guard: just straightforward and straight to the point.

Hyuuga Hiashi does not like what he sees when he looks across the table, a young man with little to no respect for rules or authority whose sharp, dark eyes meet his own far too easily, as if they are equals. As if the boy's own clan hadn't originated from the Hyuuga long ago. As if he doesn't owe them--or anyone--a thing, be it gratitude or deference.

He wants to refuse. The Uchiha clan is finished as far as he is concerned, and good riddance. Allowing the sole survivor to return to Konoha, granting him amnesty, is a shameful, pointless action, though since it is the new Hokage's wish, the Village as a whole has accepted it more or less; they trust his judgment, and anyway, they owe him at least that much for their treatment of him during his childhood, for saving them all from Pein and Akatsuki regardless.

Hiashi trusts Uzumaki Naruto as well, though that doesn't mean he doesn't question the wisdom of encouraging a former missing-nin from a family of traitors to rebuild his clan. But while he does have his reservations, his faith in the newest (youngest) Hokage overrules it, for the changes he has already wrought in the Village as a whole and the Hyuuga clan in particular are startling. Many have not been easy, many will probably never really take root until new generations that do not know of the old ways and cruel traditions make up most of the clan's population, but all have ultimately been beneficial.

Still, he does have reservations.

"And why should I give you my daughter's hand? What advantage is it to the Hyuuga to be joined with a _formerly_ great clan?"

If he is looking to get a rise out of his visitor, he is disappointed. Uchiha Sasuke doesn't bat an eye at the obvious slight, doesn't betray a flicker of any sort of emotion, his voice cool and even when he gives his reply. "If you're talking about a bride price, I will pay whatever you see as fitting. But if you're talking about societal connections…" Here his tone does grow colder, though only just barely. "…Whether you take our history of enmity towards the Senjuu to be true or not, the Uchiha were the most prestigious clan in Konoha. I will see to it that this is so once again."

There's an implied _with or without your help_ in those words, and Hyuuga Hiashi's frown deepens. Whatever he may have once said about the elder of his two daughters, he does care about her, perhaps more now than he once did, but he cares just the same. While she is still not as strong as Neji or even Hanabi, Hinata has improved herself greatly; given a few more years and a proper husband, she might even prove herself worthy of taking his place as the head of the Main House. He is far from convinced that the cold-eyed young man before him would be a suitable match, and worse, if she did marry him, Hinata would leave the Hyuuga household altogether rather than bringing her husband into the clan, as she would if he were from a less-important family.

He wants to refuse. But if Sasuke is right (if _Naruto_ is right), he knows all too well the possible benefits this alliance could one day bring about, and there is much to take into account; he will have to bring the matter before the elders.

"I will consider your proposition," he says after a long space of heavy silence, the response stiff and suitably vague and clearly a dismissal. "You'll have your answer within a week's time."

Sasuke nods ever so slightly, the closest thing to a bow he gives, before smoothly rising to his feet and turning his back on the head of the Hyuuga clan. "I await your favourable response," he says over his shoulder as he goes, pausing only to slide the _fusuma_ at the end of the room aside before stepping out into the hall, brushing past a bewildered servant and her full tea-tray without a glance.

* * *

Hinata and Hanabi are sitting together behind a closed _fusuma_ panel leading into the room next door, where their father is currently speaking with Uchiha Sasuke. It is an age-old practise, listening in like this, though Kō and Yū both seem uncomfortable with it, frowning in disapproval and fidgeting worriedly respectively. They have no way of knowing that their charges were in fact put up to this by their father and their cousin, the latter of whom is doubtlessly listening in through a _fusuma _panel on the other side of the room their father and his visitor are in, just in case.

Hanabi is getting angrier and angrier with each passing second, glaring into the next room with her teeth bared and her Byakugan activated, every muscle in her petite body tense and quivering with a fervent desire to put "the Uchiha traitor" in his place--a shallow, unmarked grave. When Sasuke mentions a bride price, as if her sister is merely an item to be bought and sold, she actually starts up off her cushion, Yū's near-frantic attempt at restraint easily shaken off; only the sudden, gentle pressure of her older sister's hand on her thigh prevents her from storming into the room to defend Hinata's honour.

In contrast, Hinata is the picture of tranquility, listening in silence to the entire exchange, her face calm and composed; the only indication of inner turmoil is the way her hands are folded together in a white-knuckled ball in her lap, which the long sleeves of her kimono hide completely. When she has to free that hand to stop Hanabi, she can feel her short nails digging into the palm of that single still-clenched fist, and hopes that Sasuke will leave before she manages to draw blood.

His visit is a brief one, thankfully, and as they hear his light footsteps fade away, Hanabi turns on Hinata, expression indignant. "How _dare_ he march in here and make demands! It doesn't matter what Otou-san and the elders decide, you shouldn't have to do _this!"_

It's not quite a shout, but Hanabi isn't taking any care to keep her voice down either; their father has doubtless heard every word she's said, though it's not so unlikely that she meant for him to. For all her willfulness, she knows better than to say such things to his face, but she has her ways of making her opinion on certain matters known. She will make a fine clan leader someday, Hinata thinks with a faint smile, especially if the elders have their way and she takes Neji as her consort. He is one of the few who can manage Hanabi at all well, and he tempers her brash, impulsive nature perfectly.

The younger girl has quieted some, but it's obvious she's still seething. "Regardless of everything else, he's still a traitor—he's not good enough for you _or_ our family! And besides, Kiba—"

"I-it's all right, Hanabi," Hinata interjects softly, cutting off whatever Hanabi had been about to say about her former teammate. She is well aware of Kiba's feelings for her--they are nothing new after all--but she also knows with absolute certainty that he would never fit in with her family. The rules and solid structure of the Hyuuga clan might be changing drastically, but there will _always_ be rules, and the idea of Kiba being forced into all the stiff formalities that will undoubtedly still remain intact is a painful one. She could never ask that of him; he doesn't know what he'd be in for.

Sasuke, on the other hand… He was originally from a prestigious and powerful clan, so stifling rules would be nothing new to him, and his aloof bearing and personal appearance would allow him to fit in with the Hyuuga almost flawlessly.

Hinata doesn't really care either way, though. She hasn't been quite the same since Naruto's wedding, though she's truly happy for him, or tries to be; it still hurts though, more than she'd thought it would, more than she'd thought possible. But dragging Kiba into things is not the answer, and though a part of her would welcome the warmth and comfort she knows he could offer, she won't allow herself to be that selfish. Instead, she has decided to be practical and leave the choice up to her father--not so much a _decision_ really, since she'd likely never had much say in things anyway, but now that the person she'd wanted is entirely unattainable, she has no reason to refuse whoever it is that Hiashi eventual chooses for her to marry.

Besides, Sasuke is Naruto's best friend, or was once; there must be something worthwhile in him if Naruto cares (cared?) for him so strongly. And right now, she realises, she can help Naruto a great deal by agreeing to this, since rebuilding his clan will tie Sasuke to Konoha once again. And from what she's seen and remembers of Sasuke, and especially from how Naruto has always talked about him, she knows he must be kind deep down…and for all his cynicism and seeming indifference, lonely.

She stands slowly, still thoughtful, because loneliness is something she can understand all too well, and if he really _is_ kind deep down…

Hanabi looks at her warily as she moves with a sudden purposefulness towards the door, and already Kō is trailing behind her, so she pauses briefly in the doorway to give them both a reassuring smile.

"Please, don't follow me. I'm not going far."

"Onee-san?"

"Hinata-sama—"

She hears them calling after her, curious and concerned, but she doesn't turn back again, and by the time they follow her into the hallway, she's already gone.

* * *

As he makes his way along the long, winding path leading out of the Hyuuga compound, Sasuke contemplates recent events yet again.

He's more than certain the Hyuuga will accept his offer--after all, regardless of his clan's bloody history, it was an _Uchiha_ that everyone had come to see the last time Konoha hosted the chuunin exam; the supposed Hyuuga prodigy had been overlooked entirely. And despite his own admittedly checkered past, so long as Naruto is Hokage, he knows that he and his own will always be safe and accepted in Konoha. There will be no more massacres, no more prejudice, no more Senjuu plots; and really, what better revenge is there than to live in their village and grow prosperous and powerful once more?

He's equally certain that he's made the right choice in selecting his future wife. She's most likely who his parents would have chosen for him, since there had been no girls close enough to his age in their own clan, and there's no denying that the Hyuuga are now the strongest and most prestigious clan in Konoha. And since his potential first choice has already been taken…

His stride slows just a bit as his thoughts drift towards his former teammates, though he's too lost in inner contemplation to realise the slight change in speed. Naruto treats him the same as always--flashing him toothy grins, slinging an arm around his neck and leaning heavily on his shoulder, dragging him off to eat ramen with him a few times a week, taunting and poking and pestering good-naturedly--but that doesn't change the fact that things are different between them now. Even though Naruto's forgiven him for everything, what he's done can never be entirely forgotten; there will always be a shadow of hurt, a trace of worry, a hint of fear that he might leave again someday in those vivid blue eyes.

Still, even that's better than trying to face the other member of their team. It's been five years since the Village was rebuilt, since Sasuke returned, and she still can hardly bring herself to look at him. Sakura rarely goes out to eat with them, and when she does she is always very quiet, always careful to keep Naruto between herself and Sasuke. When they all walk together, she clings to Naruto's hand, or his arm when she can get away with it, which is most of the time. Naruto is extremely gentle with her, a warm, open tenderness and wholehearted acceptance that Sasuke knows he could never have given her. It's obvious that she needs Naruto, that she depends on him--_everyone_ depends on him, he's the Hokage after all--but with Sakura, it seems different somehow, deeper, more intense. Like she relies on him to save her each and every day. Like he's all that holds her together.

She avoids being alone with Sasuke at all costs. They've only run into each other twice when there was no one else around, both times late at night while he was out walking and she was coming home from a late shift at the hospital. The first time, she'd taken one look at him and then just fallen to pieces, tears pouring down her face, choking out a broken _I'm sorry_ before dashing past him, probably running all the way home to the apartment she shared with Naruto. He wasn't certain if she was apologising for giving up on him, for accepting Naruto's affections instead, or for something else entirely, but he hadn't followed her to find out: he hadn't really wanted to know.

The second time they'd bumped into each other, she'd dropped her eyes and passed him by without a word, without a single tear, without even a nod of acknowledgment, as if he wasn't there at all, and that simple action said more than any words ever could. There was nothing left to say.

Sasuke nods to himself, his stride quickening once more as he shakes off remembrances of the past and focuses on the present and near-future once again. Yes, Hyuuga Hinata is the best choice, and since Naruto is already married, there is no reason for her to refuse him. He isn't unaware of her past feelings for the dobe: while he had never really listened to the gossip back at the Academy, nor had he particularly cared about his classmates' personal lives, even then he had been nothing if not observant, and Hinata had never been particularly subtle about watching Naruto.

Really, that's another thing in her favour. It's interesting, even a little nice, that Hinata was never one of his many overbearing admirers…but though Sasuke would never admit it, it's also a bit of a sting to his pride that instead, she was always looking at Naruto. (He knows that on some level, they will always be rivals, regardless of the playing field, and since Naruto has "won" with Sakura....)

Still, Hinata had never thrown herself at Naruto; she'd behaved in a much more proper fashion, in a manner befitting one of her social status. He's only seen her a few times since his return, and he hadn't really paid much attention to any of the girls during his Academy days, but from what he's seen, she is an excellent choice. He likes her reserve, her proper bearing and high-class behaviour, and though he's never seen her fight, he knows the abilities of her bloodline, and that is what is most important: potential.

Another more secret and much smaller part of him had settled on Hinata the instant he'd seen her interacting with some of her younger, former Branch House cousins at one of Konoha's many summer festivals. There had been something so _motherly_ in the long, dark hair streaming over her shoulders, the gentle smile, the warmth of her quiet laughter and the way she'd straightened an obi here and smoothed a collar there, something he hadn't--hasn't--been able to forget; some unexplainable, intangible that thing that had very little to do with logic and inexplicably moved her from_ best choice_ to _only choice_.

He has only just passed out the Hyuuga compound's main gate when he hears quick, light footsteps behind him.

"S-Sasuke-san!"

He pauses, turning back toward the voice, watching as Hinata approaches, noting the hint of tentativeness in her gait, the way she shifts her weight uneasily as she stops in front of him. She just looks up at him for a moment, openly hesitating; then the set of her mouth firms and she takes that final step closer and impulsively reaches out to grasp his hand.

The movement had been quick, but not too quick--he could have easily avoided her if he'd wanted to, but he is too curious to pull away, merely looking at her small, pale hands wrapped loosely around one of his larger scarred ones, then staring down at her expressionlessly, though a flat _why_ is obvious in his eyes.

Fierce colour floods her cheeks at her own boldness, but she doesn't let go or look away, holding both his hand and his gaze steadily; his estimation of her goes up slightly just for that.

"I just wanted…t-to let you know…no matter what my father says, I…I accept your offer, Sasuke-san."

It's been a long time since anyone has touched him voluntarily without some specific purpose behind it--to hurt or to heal or to drag him somewhere or nearly strangle him with a hug, yes, but not…touching simply for the sake of touching, with no intent behind it other than that simple touch itself. After so long, it feels strange, but it is oddly calming somehow, and he doesn't withdraw his hand.

He knows he should say something, can tell by the slight tremble in her hands that she's gone well outside her comfort zone, following him and telling him this and possibly but not probably setting herself against her father and the rest of the Hyuuga elders if they decide against allowing the marriage. She deserves some sort of reply, but for some reason the only words that come to mind are _thank you,_ and they stick in his throat unpleasantly for reasons he's all too aware of.

"I doubt your father will refuse," he says at last, finally finding his voice. It comes out a little sharper than he'd meant for it to; he continues a bit more quietly, if not quite gently, "You don't need to worry about that."

The smile she gives him is small, but warm enough to touch her eyes, and for the first time in years he's faced with a smile that holds not even the barest shadow of blame or hint of suspicion: just acceptance, gratitude, and simple shyness. There are no ghosts between them--no shared memories, no history, no trust, no betrayal. There is only _what will be,_ not _what has been,_ a blank slate that is more than welcome to someone used to wallowing in past mistakes and constantly being stung by the reminders of old, once-broken bonds.

"Y-yes, of course," she says, reminding Sasuke that he'll have to speak with her about that stutter, though it does seem better than it once was. Listening to her answer questions back at the Academy had been painful. "Will you come back inside a-and have tea with us…please?"

Now it's Sasuke's turn to hesitate--antisocial or not, there are certain conventions that cannot be ignored, and at least one meeting between the two parties is customary. He would accept this offer right now and be done with it if his pride would allow it, but his abrupt departure left little room for a dignified return. He's already had more than enough humility forced out of him over the past few years; he can't abide the thought of swallowing any more of his pride just yet.

"…Tomorrow."

"Eh?"

He turns his head, hair falling to shield him from those wide eyes--that seeming innocence is starting to put him on edge--and grudgingly repeats himself. "I'll…come back tomorrow."

Her smile is wider this time, he notes out of the corner of his eye, as if he's agreed to this simply because she asked him to, and not because it would send a very clear message to Hyuuga Hiashi, an obvious underlining of his earlier unspoken _with or without your help._

"Alright," she says, more than a little knowingly, and any lingering traces of doubt vanish from Sasuke's mind when he looks at her again. Her smile has faded, leaving only solemn consent and a tranquil resolve, and he knows that she understands his reasoning (most of it, anyway), that this marriage will be political and practical and has nothing to do with love or even attraction, and that she agrees to it anyway. Whatever her reasoning, she knows her duty, what will be expected of her, and probably what she can (and can't) expect from him. If that's really the case, Sasuke thinks, they'll get along just fine.

Only when he goes to free his hand does he notice that his fingers have gently curled around hers, and that he is holding on to her just as much as she is holding on to him.


	2. Engagement

_A/N: ...Okay, this was only supposed to be a one-shot, but. It looks like you guys win, and there's going to be a little more than that. XD;_

* * *

"…I can't believe you're going to let this happen."

It's the seventh time this week, and the second time today, that Sakura has argued with Naruto over Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata's now-official betrothal. Or _tried_ to argue over it, rather. Naruto has refused to rise to the bait at all thus far, simply laughing and making a glibly off-putting reply or else just ignoring her words completely, though she can tell his patience with this subject matter is starting to wear thin.

"Sakura-chan, do we really have to talk about this again?" The youngest-ever Hokage looks at her sideways, obviously uncomfortable despite the ever-present smile on his face. He doesn't want to make her angry (for several reasons, not just because he knows she can put him through the nearest wall with nothing more than a 'gentle' push, though not wanting to get his face punched in is certainly one of those reasons), but he can see how upset she is already, and he really doesn't want to talk about this…because really, he's all for the marriage. Hinata is gentle, easily the gentlest girl Naruto knows, and she's kind and patient and quiet and endlessly brave and still sorta just a little weird, and he knows if anyone has a chance of getting through to Sasuke somehow, it's her.

But this, this topic, this issue, this conversation with Sakura is obviously something that isn't going to go away with smiles and laughter or even comforting or rational words, so he settles himself in for the fight his wife seems so determined to have, mentally preparing himself for the almost inevitable punch in the face. "I don't know what you expect me to do about it."

"Talk her out of it."

Naruto pulls a face. "That's girl-talk. Why don't you do it?"

Sakura blushes faintly as she looks at him, hating herself for the guilt that stabs through her at that moment. She doesn't regret marrying Naruto, not really, not at all most of the time, but it's more complicated than that. Essentially stealing the boy the Hyuuga girl had loved for years, since she was a young child…it felt like a betrayal of sorts somehow. Hinata had confessed first after all, and Naruto had rejected Sakura's initial 'confession,' though that had changed later on… Still, even though the other girl had been nothing but pleasant and polite whenever they happened to meet, the thought of being alone with Hinata, much less discussing her love life, is an awkward one that the pink-haired medic-nin has determined to avoid at all costs.

_I can't. There's no way I can face her, not after…what I took from her._

She shakes her head, unable to admit any of that aloud. "Then talk…Sasuke out of it."

Naruto can't help but notice how she pauses just a half-second too long before saying their former teammate's name, and it pains him to hear it, like someone grabbed his heart and twisted hard, wringing it out like a waterlogged towel. Another reminder of just how broken they are, how things will never be the same. But he can't show Sakura how much it hurts him that she won't even try to talk to Sasuke, so he just puts on his tough 'grudging best friend' face and turns his nose up, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tch, right, like that bastard'll listen to anything I say."

"But he has to," Sakura insists, not in the mood to play games. "You're the _Hokage."_

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can magically make him less of a stubborn asshole," Naruto mutters.

"Then why not talk to Hinata? You know she'd listen to you. She looks up to you so much, almost idolizes you, and she might even still—" She stops before she can say what they're both thinking (possibly the real reason Naruto is hesitant to confront the Hyuuga girl), then starts again after a brief but awkward pause, "Well, it's just…I think she'd probably do anything you said, even now…and if you talked to her father, her family, too...there's no way she could go against them _and_ you."

"…Sakura-chan," Naruto says, very, very softly, almost in a whisper, staring sightlessly down at the table he's sitting at and the half-empty cup of long-cold tea sitting in front of him. "I really…really can't do that."

"Of course you could, you're the _Hokage—"_

Naruto stands so abruptly, his chair topples backwards with a loud _crash,_ his thighs banging into the table in front of him, the cup overturning, spilling tea everywhere before rolling off the table and smashing to the floor, shattering far beyond repair. Then he's leaning over the table towards her, elbows locked, arms braced, hands splayed, the tips of his fingernails flaring white beneath the sudden pressure, and his words come out as a sharp snarl, low, fast, and fierce.

_"Hokage or not, I ESPECIALLY have no right to tell Hinata who she can or can't marry!"_

It's the first time he's raised his voice this entire conversation, and Sakura can count on one hand the number of times he's looked at her like that, eyes narrowed in an intense not-quite-glare that makes something in her chest ache. How he really looks is _stern,_ she realises, more mature than she'd once thought possible and every inch the strong, powerful Hokage he'd dreamt of being, and she finds that she cannot meet that piercing gaze. It makes her feel weak, inadequate, and horribly selfish, and Naruto does not judge lightly, so she must deserve to feel that way.

Looking far older than his twenty-one years, he closes his eyes, bows his head, and heaves a quiet sigh, and Sakura knows that already he's regretting his part in this conversation, this fight, but his grim expression makes it equally obvious that he's still upset. Without another word, he pushes away from the table and heads out the door, grabbing his flak jacket off its hook by the door as he leaves.

He'll apologise later, she tells herself, after he's had time to cool down a little, just like he always does. But for once, she's not entirely certain of that.

After his footsteps and chakra signature both fade away, she folds in on herself, hugging her knees to her chest and, now that she's alone, crying a little--over fighting with Naruto, or for Hinata, or for herself, she's not sure.

Whatever the reason, it's a long time before those tears stop coming--so long that she'd almost started to wonder if they ever would.

* * *

On finding themselves placed in this sort of position, most people would probably have quickly come up with an excuse to be elsewhere, or just refused to see him entirely. Hyuuga Hinata does neither; instead she greets him with a smile and a deep bow and her usual (but notably fainter these days) blush.

Naruto had felt it important that they meet here, at the training grounds, rather than the Hyuuga compound or the Hokage Tower. This is neutral ground, and here, at least, they are not Hokage and Hyuuga heir. They are merely two people, two shinobi; here they are equals.

The smile he gives her in return is friendly, like all his smiles, but there's a gentleness there, a tender regard in his eyes as he looks down at her that is not quite the norm. She was the first person to declare her love for him, after all, and the only person to throw herself into that hopeless situation with Pein, to state without a hint of a stutter that she was willing to die for him. And even though things hadn't worked out the way they could've (should've?), he would never stop seeing her as someone special, someone set apart from everyone else.

…Which meant he would never stop feeling guilty about his eventual choice either…

"Hey, Hinata-chan…thanks for agreeing to meet me here." He scratches the back of his head nervously and forces a sheepish little laugh, "…Look, I know I said this before, but I really am sorry—"

Before he finishes his sentence, Hinata is already waving her hands dismissively, and not a little desperately, her entire face flushing a deep pink and her stutter worse than it's been in years. "N-no, d-d-d-don't say that—I-I'm j-j-j-just glad you're h-h-happy!"

For a brief moment Naruto's smile is somehow sad, with a trace of _am I really_ to it; then it's brighter, warmer than the sun, just like always.

"Hinata-chan…I know I don't have any right to say this, but…thanks. For…well, for everything. But especially for this." He shifts his weight a little awkwardly as he gives another semi-uncomfortable chuckle. "You really didn't have to say yes."

"I—I know!" she blurts, then looks down as she says in a more subdued tone, "…I wanted to. H-he's really…very kind…deep down, isn't he…?" She looks up, finding Naruto's eyes on her, his expression intense and such a meld of emotions that it's almost unreadable; he looks like doesn't know whether to laugh or cry or do something else entirely. "…And very lonely, too," she adds, the words just above a whisper. But this time, they're not hesitant, and not a question, for she is not at all unsure.

Naruto looks like he's about so say something, but when he opens his mouth, nothing comes out. "Yeah," he manages after swallowing hard, though it still comes out a bit choked. He swallows again and bows his head, nodding; when he raises it again a moment later, the laughter and regular smile have won through, though there's still evidence of a glassy sheen in his eyes. "We'll just have to keep reminding him that we're here for him, huh?"

Hinata gives a tiny laugh and nods once. Naruto starts to turn to go, a smile stretching across his face as he raises a hand in farewell, but he hasn't taken more than two steps before he stops and spins back around.

"Oh! And just so's you know, if there's ever anything I can do to pay you back—"

"A-ah!" She's anxious and eager enough to cut off his sentence with her exclamation, though again she blushes furiously and stares at her feet on realising what she's done. When Naruto waits with silent expectance rather than picking up where he left off, she chances a quick look up him, then hesitantly hedges, "Um, a-actually…"

He smiles at her encouragingly, a silent _go on, I'm listening._

She twiddles her fingers apprehensively, a habit she'd abandoned for the most part; only when particularly nervous does she find herself falling back into her old ways. "W-what…what sorts of things does Sasuke-kun like? He d-doesn't really talk about himself very much…s-so I thought maybe…" She ducks her head again, fingers a blur. "…I…already figured out that he doesn't like sweet things…b-but…"

For a moment the look Naruto gives her is one of open surprise, though it's swiftly overtaken with his famously wide, profoundly cheerful grin. _You'd better appreciate this, teme,_ he thinks to himself as he looks over at the delicately beautiful girl standing across from him, still fidgeting like crazy. _Better appreciate __**her.**__ 'Cause I'm not sure you deserve her yet, and if you make her cry, I swear I'll kick your ass so hard, your grandkids' grandkids are still gonna walk with a limp._

"Sure, Hinata-chan!" is what he says aloud, no trace of the dark threats lurking elsewhere in his mind apparent in his high-spirited tone. "What exactly do ya wanna know?"

* * *

These days, a curt double-tug on the bell-pull at the front entrance of the Hyuuga compound means just one thing: Uchiha Sasuke has come for tea.

It has become a regular occurrence by now--twice a week, though there's no discernible pattern in the two days he chooses. Even something as simple as that is politics, however: the Hyuuga elders decided in favour of the proposed marriage, just as he'd said they would. It would have reflected on them poorly if Hinata had gone against their orders and married him regardless, as they all know she would have, and Sasuke likes to remind them who's really in control of this situation. Showing up at different times on random days and expecting their hospitality and deference might not be particularly subtle, but so long as the message is clear, the last Uchiha could honestly care less about whose toes he steps on.

Most days, at least half a dozen of the Hyuuga come to welcome him and take their tea with him. Hinata's father, sister, and cousin are almost always in attendance, along with two bodyguard-looking types and of course Hinata herself. Hanabi is still stiffly angry around him, and Neji watches him like one wolf circling another; Sasuke doesn't generally deign to notice either of them. Hyuuga Hiashi is largely silent, either refusing to even look at the Uchiha, or else staring at him with hard eyes and a clenched jaw and more than a little dislike. Hinata tends to be quiet as well, though she manages to keep things flowing smoothly with softly-stuttered small-talk and quiet _biwa_ music, played either by herself or another of the Hyuuga in attendance.

This time, though, he finds only his future wife waiting for him in their regular tea room, which he isn't expecting. He scans the surrounding area, eyes briefly spinning to red, lingering on the _fusuma_ panels directly behind Hinata. And again, what he finds isn't what he's anticipating. There's only one person there, and as he continues to stand in the doorway, looking at that spot, Hinata happens to glance up from straightening the already-perfectly-neat spread of dishes on the low table at the room's center. She follows his gaze to that far wall, and though her fancy attire slows her, a moment later she's on her feet and at the crack where the two panels come together; but by the time she pushes them apart, the would-be spy (likely Hanabi, judging by the retreating form's size and the colour and intensity of chakra) is gone.

"S-sorry about that, Sasuke-san…" Hinata says contritely as she returns to the table and her teatime preparations.

"Don't be. Siblings are supposed to be protective of each other."

His tone is flat and dismissive, but the words themselves are revealing, and Hinata can't stop herself from glancing up at him through her eyelashes. Such kind words, and so much pain in those dark eyes that doesn't make it into his voice or onto his face.

At least not at first glance: looking more closely, the downward curve of his mouth and the lowered eyes are impossible to perceive as anything other than intense sorrow and subtle regret, and Hinata's heart clenches before it goes out to him. On days like this, when that melancholy expression shows through more than usual (which still isn't saying much), she can easily see what Naruto saw in him, why he cares about him so much. He's so lonely, so hollow inside, so afraid to get close to people that somehow it's almost impossible for her to leave him alone.

Teatime is a quiet affair—quieter than usual, but a great deal more peaceful as well. Neither seems to feel the need to fill that silence, and he doesn't look annoyed and she isn't fidgeting half as much as she usually does, and her smiles are perhaps a bit more shy and tentative, but they're also warmer, more at ease. There's a stillness, a serenity, and even after all the food is gone and he's finished his second cup of tea and waved away the offer of a third, Sasuke makes no move to leave, simply sitting at the table and looking out through the open _shōji_ screens into the expansive gardens beyond, his expression contemplative but calm. But it's not the sort of moment that can last forever, and before long he rises, giving Hinata a minute nod of appreciation, or perhaps just acknowledgment, and moves to leave.

All at once, the Hyuuga girl finds that she doesn't want him to go, not yet; before she knows it, she's calling after him.

"S-Sasuke-san!"

He stops and looks back at her, the fact that he does so almost instantly more than a little telling. She misses it entirely, however, since she's staring down at her fists clenched in her lap, her cheeks already bright pink.

"Ah…uh, um…w-would…would you like to walk in the gardens with me a bit before you go?" she blurts all at once, ducking her head even more, the colour in her cheeks spreading to the rest of her face.

He looks at her for a long moment, as if weighing what it might cost him to give in to her request; when she finally dares to look up at him, he gives a silent nod of agreement. Before she can move, he's standing there beside her, coolly holding out a hand to help her up. She takes it with a grateful smile, as her clothing today is more elaborate than usual--a _furisode_ kimono with three layers beneath it--but this time Sasuke doesn't even meet her eyes, his countenance closed and dispassionate; yet he only lets go of her arm once she's safely on the ground outside, not a moment before.

The gardens truly are beautiful this time of year—perhaps not as much as they are in the early spring, when the plum and cherry blossoms are in bloom, but the irises are lovely and some of the orchids are still in bloom, with others obviously preparing to do so in the coming weeks. Moreover, the soothing sound of quietly running water trickles throughout the whole of the garden, which displays an appearance of simplicity and minimalism that can only be the result of endless hours of effort towards that end.

Moving at a leisurely pace, they pass over a high-arching bridge with red-painted rails, then slip through the hanging branches of a weeping willow before crossing a set of stepping stones that lead out to a little pavilion on an island in the middle of a still lake. There Sasuke slows, seemingly gazing at the water lilies and the lazily-drifting red-and-white koi swimming beneath them. In reality, he's thinking about his current situation. He's not entirely sure why he agreed to this walk, because tranquil as it is, nice as the paths are, and as much as he enjoys an evening stroll, what does he care about gardens really? What's more, he's already met with his bride-to-be and her family enough times for propriety to be more than satisfied, and tradition says nothing about spending time alone together like this…and yet he still agreed to it, and he finds with something like faint surprise that he's not at all sorry that he did.

A passing breeze ruffles through his hair, setting a few strands of hers swaying as well, and without really thinking about it, he catches a lock loosely in his hand, letting it whisper through his fingers, smooth as water, soft as silk. Perhaps he really _does_ like girls with long hair, he thinks, one corner of his mouth pulling upwards just a fraction as the girl's eyes widen.

"S-Sasuke-san…!"

"You don't need to be so formal," he says, though as admonishments go, it's a gentle one, especially for an Uchiha, and far more permissive than it is reproachful.

She blinks those big, pale eyes, just a little off-balance, before stuttering out a tentative, "S-Sasuke…kun?"

The pained expression flickers across his face so swiftly Hinata almost thinks she imagined it, but she knows she didn't. It would be easy to believe she did, though, with how empty and withdrawn his expression is now, and she twiddles her fingers anxiously, wondering just what she's said wrong.

"Sasuke," he says quietly after a moment of semi-uncomfortable silence has elapsed. _"Just_ Sasuke."

There's something in his voice, that melancholy twinge, that throbbing note of an old pain; and maybe it's all those years of Naruto's influence, but suddenly Hinata can't stand to just _hear it_ and not even _try_ to say or do anything about it. Determined, she clenches her hands at her sides and raises her chin, her gaze steady on his face as she states his name firmly:

"Sasuke."

She colours slightly when that brings his eyes up and over to meet hers, but she stands her ground and doesn't look away, even managing a small, brave smile.

"W-would you like to see more of the gardens?" she says with scarcely a stutter. "There's a section up ahead that's a rock garden--Neji-nii-san and Otou-san work on it together every weekend."

Sasuke shoots her a quick look of disbelief at the idea of Hiashi and Neji doing something so mundane as _gardening _together, but though there's traces of self-conscious amusement in her expression, he can see that she's serious. Ultimately curiosity overcomes skepticism, and he gives a nod and a low hum of agreement, already moving toward the opposite side of the little island.

The stepping stones are spaced a bit wider on the other side of the tiny pavilion, and he assists her in crossing them without even thinking, earning himself another appreciative smile and a small, warm hand that lingers on his arm a little longer than necessary. And perhaps the paths in this part of the garden are narrower, perhaps the greenery isn't trimmed back quite as far as it should be, or perhaps it's something else, something unquantifiable, but for whatever reason, their shoulders seem to brush a good deal more often as they walk; and as he steals another oblique look at Hinata's delicately flushed face, once again Sasuke finds that he doesn't mind in the least.


	3. Alliance

It's just a little less than a month before the highly anticipated Uchiha-Hyuuga wedding, and everything is in order: the priest is booked, the location for both the ceremony and the receptions have been selected, the bride's attire is ready and waiting, the guests have all been invited, and an appointment that will see to all the paperwork has been scheduled to be completed two days in advance of the ceremony itself.

…_Nearly_ everything is in order, rather. But the things that aren't are not simple, physical things; they can't be arranged like flowers and seating charts, or ordered like food and saké. Still, Hyuuga Hinata is determined to do all she can to set those few final things to rights before the wedding takes place.

…Which is why she's been hovering just outside the door of Naruto and Sakura's apartment for the last ten minutes, working herself up to ring the doorbell and having a fierce inner debate on whether or not it would be rude to do a quick Byakugan scan of the place first, just be certain that they weren't—ah—_otherwise inclined_ at the moment. They _are_ still a young married couple, and she wouldn't want to _interrupt,_ after all…

She's just about convinced herself that it's better to be safe (and somewhat voyeuristic) than very, _very_ sorry when she hears the sound of raised voices coming from behind the door. Intrigued (and honestly rather relieved), the Hyuuga girl tilts her head and leans in to listen, her ear nearly pressed to crack between the wooden door frame and the door.

* * *

"…WHO CARES WHETHER OR NOT MY SHIRTS ARE ALL FACING THE SAME WAY?"

"OBVIOUSLY _I_ CARE, NARUTO, OR I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID ANYTHING!"

"BUT THAT'S A RIDICULOUS THING TO CARE ABOUT, AND I _DON'T _CARE, SO WHY DOES YOUR CARING MATTER MORE THAN MY NOT-CARING, HUH?"

"BECAUSE I'M _RIGHT,_ AND BECAUSE THE CLOSET LOOKS NICER THAT WAY!"

"WHO _CARES_ HOW THE FREAKIN' CLOSET LOOKS—IT'S A _CLOSET,_ IT'S NOT LIKE ANYONE BUT US SEES IT!"

_"I CARE HOW THE FREAKING CLOSET LOOKS_ AND IT'S _MY_ CLOSET, SO I CAN CARE HOW IT LOOKS AS MUCH AS I WANT!"

"HEY, IT'S MY CLOSET TOO, YA KNOW!"

"WHICH IS WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT HOW IT LOOKS INSTEAD OF JUST THROWING YOUR CLOTHES INTO IT WITHOUT A SECOND GLANCE!"

"WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME ABOUT THIS?"

"BECAUSE _YOU'RE_ YELLING AT _ME _ABOUT YELLING AT _YOU_ ABOUT THIS, IDIOT!"

"WELL YOU'RE THE ONE WHO STARTED YELLING IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

"NO_ YOU'RE_ THE ONE WHO STARTING YELLING AT ME FOR YELLING AT YOU WHEN I _WASN'T_ YELLING AT YOU!"

"NUH-UH!"

"YUH-HUH!"

"NUH-_UH!"_

"YUH-_HUH!"_

"NUH-…uhhh…Sakura-chan…" Naruto gives an embarrassed little cough, scratching the back of his head anxiously. "…Why…are we fighting so much about somethin' little like this? I mean, it _is_ just a closet, ya know…?"

Sakura opens her mouth to deliver another hot retort, when the ridiculousness of the situation really hits home: instead, what escapes her half-opened mouth is a huff of unexpected laughter followed by a poorly-repressed giggle. Naruto snickers, his mouth working to contain both a smile and his laughter, trying to look angry or at the very least serious, but it's a losing battle. When his eyes meet his wife's, they both lose it almost instantly, dissolving into helpless, self-depreciating laughter.

"Haha-ha-how old are we again?" Sakura finally manages to gasp through her laughter, "Because I think we just fought like we were five again!"

"Nnn-n-_nuh-uh!"_ Naruto wheezes, which just sends them both off again, laughing until there are literally tears in their eyes.

"Hey, if we're five, I guess I have to do _this!"_ He reaches out to give her hair a gentle, teasing tug.

Sakura smirks, smacking his hand before shoving him away lightly (especially for her-he's only forced back half a step), her voice dropping into an intentionally childish whine. "You better stoppit, you big meanie, or I'm gonna tell the teacher!"

"Oh, ew, gross, a GIRL just touched me!" Naruto pretends to cringe away from her, brushing at one of his shoulders with mock-disgust. "I bet you've got COOTIES, dontcha!"

_"Lots_ of 'em," Sakura says with a toothy grin, holding out her hands and wriggling her fingers at him threateningly.

Naruto matches her grin, and suddenly he's stepped forward, threading his fingers in between hers, pulling her closer. "Good thing I already got my cootie shot then, huh?" he says, his voice going low and husky. "…Or maybe I _wanna_ see what it's like to get 'em…" He slips his hands out of hers, moving to cup her face as he leans in—then pauses as Sakura's whole body goes rigid. With a slight, worried frown, he searches her face, curious and uncertain as she steps back, moving away from his touch, her own expression confused and conflicted.

Before either can voice an excuse or offer an explanation for what's just happened, the doorbell buzzes; Hinata has worked up her courage and made the decision to try to fix this after all, and once in for all.

Naruto is closest, so he gets the door; when he sees who it is, his somber mood vanishes in a flash. He gives her a huge grin and a wink, quite literally dragging her inside, then suddenly remembers something important that he has to do at the Hokage tower, grabbing his flak jacket and tearing out of there like a whirlwind, leaving the two girls alone with the proverbial elephant in the room.

"…Would you like some tea?" Sakura says after they've just stood there, very carefully not looking at each other, for nearly a whole minute.

"Mm! Y-yes, please," Hinata replies with a grateful nod, and the awkwardness fades a bit as Sakura kicks into Hostess Mode. Before long, they're both seated on opposite ends of the couch and sipping their tea, a plate of _senbei_ between them.

Sakura stares down into her cup, wondering why the other girl is here, and if she can get away with not congratulating Hinata on the upcoming wedding without it being too obvious. Somehow she doubts it, but that doesn't mean she's going to be the first to bring it up.

"…Sakura-san…"

The pink-haired kunoichi starts slightly, her tea nearly sloshing over the side of her cup as her head jerks up, like a child caught doing something wrong.

"I-I'm sorry…if the news of my engagement to Sasuke upset you…"

The familiarity there, the plain and simple way Hinata says his name catches Sakura's attention, and she wonders at the Hyuuga girl's uncharacteristic disregard of formality, trivial as it is. Though of course, the thought soon comes to her, that's exactly how Sasuke himself speaks: always without any honourifics, not intentionally disrespectful, just very clean-cut and straightforward.

"B-but," Hinata continues, her voice soft but strong. "I'm not at all sorry for agreeing to marry him. And I won't apologise for that."

Sakura looks over at the other girl, noting the quiet but almost fierce determination encompassing every aspect of the dark-haired kunoichi…and something about that steady resolve makes her discomfort, all the inward stiffness and resentment start to fade just a bit. Hinata has made her choice, she obviously doesn't regret it, and it's plain to see that she knows exactly what that choice was as well as what it means.

And really, Sakura thinks with the beginnings of a smirking smile, she couldn't leave Sasuke in better hands.

"There's no reason for you to apologise, Hinata-chan," she says brightly, offering the other girl one of the sweet rice cakes. Hinata gives her an anxious look as she takes one, and is relieved to find that both the medic-nin's words and expression are entirely sincere. "No reason at all."

* * *

It's just a little more than a week before the highly anticipated Uchiha-Hyuuga wedding, but for tonight, the focus is elsewhere: one of the many annual village festivals is what has everyone's attention, the chance for favourite snacks and various special entertainments more interesting (for the moment) than gossip or any kind of politics.

On a night like tonight, Sakura is not-so-secretly pleased-relieved, really-that things have been smoothed over between the Hyuuga girl and herself. Hinata is good company on nights like this, since Naruto tends to get swamped by half the Village any time he goes out, and generally ends up being too focused on playing with a pack of the Academy-age kids to be a good date. Sakura's other friends are equally unsuitable companions, albeit for different reasons: perpetually single and on-the-prowl Ino is more inclined towards flirting and finding someone to spend the evening (and night) with than enjoying more innocent, traditional types of fun; Tenten, Lee, Shikamaru, and Kiba are busy with their families; Sai, Kakashi, and Yamato are nowhere to be found, as usual on these sorts of occasions; and Sasuke…

Sakura shakes her head, cutting off that thought, instead turning a contented smile down at the dark-haired girl at her side. Another good thing about Hinata is how familiar she is with the traditional style of clothing; they'd both been in their yukata, obi tied perfectly, bags in hand, and with their hair put up in a truly lovely fashion in record time. The Hokage's wife pauses to admire her reflection as they pass a quietly gurgling fountain, and once again pats herself on the back for agreeing to Hinata's proposition that they attend the festival together.

They've visited the majority the sprawling festival booths by the time the sun begins to set, and by then they're both ready for a short break. Hinata leads Sakura farther up the hill, up the stone stairs leading to one of the many Village shrines. Once they reach the top, she shyly points out the lovely view and how the festival below seems to spread out before them like a map, as well as the fact that it would be a perfect location to see the fireworks from later in the evening.

"…Ah, it's been a while since we ate anything…" Hinata says after they've both rested on the top stair, standing as she adds, "I-I'll go get us some dango."

Sakura starts to stand as well. "Sounds good! I'll come, too."

_"N-no!"_ Sakura blinks at the sudden forcefulness in the other girl's tone; seemingly embarrassed, Hinata falls to fidgeting with her festival bag's drawstring fastening, her stutter worse than it's been in ages. "I-it's just…it'll b-be f-f-faster if I g-go alone…a-and we need you to stay here and h-hold our spot…f-for the fireworks later."

Sakura blinks again, then smiles reassuringly. "I guess you're right. Okay, I'll hold our spot! Leave it me!"

"Th-thank you, Sakura-san," Hinata says with an unexpected amount of relief, then she's hurriedly clattering back down the stairs. When she finally reaches the bottom, the pink-haired medic-nin loses her in the crowd almost instantly.

_She must _really_ feel badly about coming over uninvited the other day,_ Sakura thinks with a lopsided, laid-back smile. And while she wants to put the other girl at ease, if that guilt means lots of free festival snacks…well then, maybe it's all right for now. Besides, the Hyuuga can easily afford something like that. Climbing to her feet, she takes that last stair upwards, moving sideways to lean against the nearby railing, admiring the view and settling in to wait—

"…Sakura."

It's like her whole body has been suddenly, unexpectedly plunged into a tub of ice water, hearing that voice so close behind her, and for a moment, she literally feels too frozen to even turn her head and look at him.

The barest rustle of fabric, the lightest scuff of sandals on stone and dirt, all soft enough that she has to hold her breath to catch them, and even then she thinks she might very well have imagined them; and then he's there, standing beside her at the railing. Close-within an arm's length-but not too close. Dark in the light of the setting sun, but sharper, clearer, and somehow less somber than she remembers him.

Woodenly she turns to face him, her insides still feeling painfully cold, her blood running like icy slush. "…Con…congratulations on your engagement…Sasuke," she manages with obvious difficulty. She'd gotten away with ignoring the traditional blessing (of sorts) with Hinata the other day, but she knows that Sasuke would not have accepted that kind of oversight—not now, not considering both their past and current circumstances—and she has no desire to offend or anger him. "I'm sure…I hope you'll be very happy together."

Sasuke merely nods in return, accepting her benediction regardless of the obvious lack of honest feeling to it.

It's almost comical, how near a repeat this is of the beginning of Sakura and Hinata's encounter scarcely a week ago-the heavy silence, the way she's carefully not looking at him. The difference here is that _he_ has no qualms about looking right at _her,_ obviously waiting, clearly expectant, surprisingly patient. And despite her intense discomfort, neither seems inclined to leave: Sakura because she knows she still has more to say, and Sasuke because he can sense as much.

Only the barest glow of the sun still paints the horizon, the fireflies are beginning their slow evening waltz, and the stalls below have all lit their lanterns when Sakura finally finds it in her to break the silence again. The words rush out in a furious torrent, a flood from tonnes of mountain-snow melting beneath bright but uneasy spring sunshine, pounding through her head in time with her rapidly-climbing heartbeat.

"…If—" Even as she speaks, she doesn't know what she's going to say, and what comes out isn't what she'd been planning on saying at all, not that she'd really been planning on saying anything in particular in the first place. "If this is nothing more than a game to you—if this is just politics or pride or _especially_ another sort of revenge—if you_ dare_ hurt her like you hurt me—"

"I won't." His gaze is serious, immovable, firm; he believes what he's saying, and he's determined to do everything he can to ensure that it is the truth.

For some reason, that brings the pinpricks of tears to the backs of Sakura's eyes. She can feel her blood slowing, the surging wave of angry words stilling with a near-silent hiss.

"I'm not the same person I used to be," he continues, just as solid, just as firm. "None of us are. And I'm done with hurting people simply because I'm too selfish to do otherwise." His eyes leave hers for one second, two, searching out a figure in the crowd below and lingering on it before returning to her face. "What about you?"

With those three simple words, that single short question, it's as if he's ripped the world out from beneath her feet. Sakura stares at him, eyes wide; he can see her hands trembling at her sides as she almost reluctantly turns her head to search the crowd for herself, though from her expression, Sasuke can tell she already knows who she'll find. And sure enough, that dandelion-yellow shock of hair and vibrantly orange yukata are what her own sights settle on.

He continues to regard her calmly, watching her trembling hands as she clenches them into firm, rock-steady fists, then her face as she works through that realisation and comes to a decision. It takes a while, but in the end, the smile she turns on him is wide and challenging and outright vulpine on a level that would make Naruto's chest swell with pride.

"Yeah," she says, a heartfelt warmth in her voice and on her cheeks as she locks eyes with him one final time. "Me, too…Sasuke-kun."

With a grin, she raises one clenched fist, and after a half-beat of not-unpleasant surprise, he bumps it with his own-just like he and Naruto had used to do when they were kids. And then she's kicked off her _geta_ and vaulted the railing with a little whoop, slipping and sliding her way down the steep hillside, nearly breaking an ankle at least a dozen times and catching herself only through jounin-level shinobi prowess and her excellent chakra control. Once at the bottom, she darts into the crowd, dodging and weaving and all but tackling Naruto when she finally reaches his side. The youngest Hokage in history looks startled for half a second, then grins and leans down to plant a kiss on her cheek. As he starts to pull away, she seizes his arm, then the front of his yukata, dragging him back down for a _real_ kiss-long and deep enough to set the crowd of children around them hooting and hollering and cat-calling good-naturedly.

Sasuke, still standing on the top of the hill, watches it all; and while it's so slight that anyone who happened by would likely have written it off as the shadow cast by a cloud passing across the moon, anyone who looked closely, anyone who knew him, would have seen it…and stared in wonder at the faint, ever-so-slight smile on the last Uchiha's face.

* * *

It's just a little less than five minutes before the highly anticipated Uchiha-Hyuuga wedding ceremony is scheduled to begin. Those five minutes pass without incident, as does the entire ceremony, which is a quiet and largely private affair: a few of the more important members of the Hyuuga clan, as well as the Hokage, his wife, and one silver-haired jounin are the only people in attendance.

In contrast, the whole Village seems to have come out for the reception that follows shortly afterward. And although measures have been taken to ensure that the bride and groom, the hosts, and the staff are as prepared as possible to expect the unexpected, the actual levels over craziness seem almost anticlimactic in comparison. (…Even so, nothing could ever have quite prepared any of them for the sight of Gai-sensei halfway out of his green tuxedo and dancing on the tables at the end of the night, or the evidently pretty-well-smashed trio of Genma, Izumo, and Kotetsu trying to bob for apples in the largely empty-and 100% apple-free-punchbowl.)

More than a few people are taken aback on realising that last Uchiha and the Hyuuga girl are quite well-suited to each other. They lean their heads together to converse every now and then-not too terribly often, really, but they seem surprisingly content and at ease with each other. In fact, the only couple in attendance that looks nearly as happy and well-matched is the new Hokage and his wife: Naruto and Sakura dominate the dance floor, most of their moves random and obviously thrown together, but they work for the most part, and they're laughing and having too much fun to care about the ones that don't. Sasuke and Hinata share only one dance: the first of the night, a slow, graceful song that matches their slow, graceful movement perfectly. Once it's over, both are quite content to turn the dance floor over to the likes of Naruto and Sakura, preferring to simply watch…and wait for a good time to slip away from all the overblown festivities and unwanted attention.

* * *

It's just a little less than half an hour after the end of the highly anticipated Uchiha-Hyuuga wedding reception, and when they are finally alone, finally closed up in his bedroom after everything is over, Sasuke finds himself hesitating. He knows, in theory, what's going to happen, but he's yet to actually experience any of it, and that uncertainty is unpleasant. What if he looks foolish or has any one of a number of the problems he's heard about from certain others of his more worldly and less discriminating peers? What's more, what if Hinata is unwilling after all, or too shy and timid to go through with it?

All these worries vanish instantly when his new wife steps out of the adjoining bathroom wearing a simple silk yukata that gaps just enough in the front for Sasuke to see that she's wearing something white and lacy beneath it. Her face is burning and her fingers shake and fumble a little as she loosens the tie and slips the garment off, letting it lie in a silken pool around her feet, and she doesn't look up as she steps closer. Sasuke can only stare, taking in all those gentle, generous curves and the tasteful but still quite inspirational lingerie that accents them perfectly.

She stops in front of him, staring at their feet and hugging herself, which only serves to accentuate some of her more noteworthy attributes. He can hear her swallow, hard, sees the movement in her throat, and then she chances a quick glance up at him through her eyelashes.

That quick glance turns into a lingering gaze when their eyes meet; and this time, it's Sasuke who reaches out to take her hand, pulling her slowly, almost gently towards the bed.

Her blush doesn't lighten, but she doesn't resist that pull, not in the least. Instead, she smiles shyly as he lays her out on the bed, gradually, gently, and very thoroughly proceeding in taking the next step towards reviving his clan.


	4. Epilogue

The Nakano Shrine is one of the Fire Country's oldest and most historical locations. Technically outside Konoha, outside the walls and farther into the woods, it is one of the few places that had not been destroyed in Pein's assault on Konoha. The Uchiha sector itself had been decimated, and had not been rebuilt, but no one had snatched up the land either; they all knew who had lived there and what had taken place, and no one wanted that 'cursed' land.

So when Sasuke had returned, he'd taken it back (rather to the relief of the zoning officers, in fact) and had a manor house built on it, one not unlike the Hyuuga compound, a sprawling, traditional-style house with an expansive garden and clearly marked boundaries. It had been too big for him, a single man living alone without even a single servant, and even though he is no longer unmarried, it is still too big, though he and his still-fairly-new wife have already begun to work on making it seem a little smaller, a little more snug and home-like.

Uchiha Sasuke has been at the Nakano Shrine since early that morning, reading over all the histories of the Uchiha clan, annotating them, and adding his own story to the records. There's rather a lot of material, so by necessity it's taken him a while to get through it all; only now, after nearly three weeks of regular dawn-to-dusk work and even more extra and generally odd hours late in the night, has he really started to set down his own life's story.

He senses her even before he hears her footsteps or the sound of someone purifying themselves at the fountain in front of the shrine. Then there is the short pause as she bows twice, then the soft double-clap followed by a longer pause as she bows again and silently prays for a few seconds. The quiet clack of sandals on stone and wood resumes but cuts off again after only a few steps, as she removes her _zori_ and enters the inner shrine in sock feet.

As usual, she pauses at the incense burner, and he allows himself a brief sideways glance, watching through his long bangs as Hinata fans a little of the smoke towards her midriff.

She shouldn't be there, technically speaking. For all the talk of their possible distant familial relation, she's still not an Uchiha by blood, and these grounds are sacred to his family, consecrated to a single elite bloodline. She knows this, and yet she is still there, and he does not reprimand her for it.

Finished with the incense, she approaches him, pristine white _tabi_ socks silent on the polished wood.

She's not far enough along yet to really be showing, but he already knows her well enough to see how carefully she moves now that she knows she's responsible for two lives instead of just one. He likes to watch her move, something that he was initially surprised to realise, but which makes sense; she is graceful in a way that only those who have trained to be so from a young age can be, each movement light and flowing, her posture careful, her poise perfect.

She glides to a stop behind him, looking at all his notes, all the scrolls, all the musty tomes, and for a long while she's silent, watching him work; then at last she speaks, quiet but strong, something he admits to himself—and only himself—that he admires about her.

"You weren't there during the Chuunin exams when Naruto-kun fought Neji-nii-san…a-and I was unconscious for a lot of it, b-but…that was when Naruto-kun first made a very important promise: that when he was Hokage, he would change the Hyuuga for Neji-nii-san."

Sasuke has heard about this promise more than a few times, and what's more, he's seen the results in action in the Hyuuga family's social structure. The changes have been faster than expected, but still somewhat gradual in certain areas, and Sasuke is pretty sure that most of the Hyuuga elders aren't on speaking terms with Naruto anymore, but that doesn't really matter since the Hokage has all the _real_ power, and the faith of his people to go along with it.

He doesn't have to look back at her to know that Hinata is fiddling with the cuffs of her kimono's sleeves. "We've changed so many of our traditions…a-and it's hard, and it's going to _be_ hard…f-for a long time. The bitterness…the prejudice…i-it won't really go away until the older generations have p-passed on…but…things are better now."

She smiles That Smile, the one that always means she's thinking of Naruto, a meld of tenderness, respect, gratefulness, and probably some other emotions Sasuke has no name for, or knowledge of. It sends a pang through him, something like jealousy except not quite, because he knows that deep down he feels the same way towards Naruto, or very nearly so.

"…A-and things will keep getting better as time passes…b-because a past full of hate and cruelty is not something that should be preserved. Who will it help? I-it's…it's not fair, not fair at all, to p-pass something like that on to your children." Sasuke hears the rustle of fabric as she presses her hand to her stomach, and that slightest of swells there. "It will only cause more pain…more hate, more cruelty."

Sasuke remains silent, unmoving; she can't see his face to see if her words are finding their mark, but his shoulders aren't tensed enough for him to have taken offense, and he hasn't started writing again, either. That's how she knows he's actually listening, not just putting up with her, so she ventures to share one final thought.

"He never asked us to forget…just forgive. B-but…but in this case, isn't forgetting important, too?"

That said, she lingers a moment more, until he starts writing once again (considerably slower than before), then she leaves as quietly as she came. She briefly brushes her hand across his shoulders as she passes, and he relaxes a little at the touch, turning his head minutely to watch her go.

This is another of the many things that Sasuke has learned he likes about his wife: soft-spoken as she generally is, she still has opinions and surprisingly strong convictions, but she never really forces them on anyone. Instead she simply states things as they appear in her eyes, laying out her reasoning and letting him make of it what he will.

When she reaches the door, he looks away from the soft sway of her hair, her hips, turning his eyes back to the scroll in front of him. Somehow it's easier not to look at her when he calls after her, her name almost a murmur:

"…Hinata."

Without a hint of a pause, she turns back to face him, a swirl of long, shadowy-dark hair and pale, expectant eyes. "Y-yes?"

His pen stills again, and for a silent moment, he stares down at the paper in front of him without really seeing it, considering his question and whether or not he really wants to ask it. What it might gain him, what he might lose.

"Your clan must have kept records just like these."

She nods, knowing he'll see it out of the corner of his eye, knowing there's more, waiting for the rest of it, for the actual question.

"When Naruto gave that order…what did you do with them?"

Hinata is smiling now, a bright expression that has just the barest hint of amusement in it.

"We burned them," she says, quiet, but with more than one note of pride in her voice, which does not waver in the least. "All of them. Every single one."

Sasuke turns his head slightly, just enough to meet her eyes and exchange a knowing look, his expression shifting to imitate her own, though as ever his smile is more of a smirk, and it's still more reserved and a lot less open. After inclining his head just a fraction, his attention returns to the papers in front of him, and Hinata takes her leave of the temple, her movements light as she bows and backs away from the shrine, her smile small and secretive.

* * *

Half an hour later, after she's returned home, Hinata notices the smoke. She can see it from the kitchen window over the sink, and she sets aside the rice she's washing, her pride and happiness so strong that they momentarily overcome her, though despite his past and his penchant for hanging onto things better let go, she hadn't really doubted him in the least.

For a long while, she just smiles to herself, watching as the smoke curls upward, rising well over the tops of the surrounding trees, an angry, inky column that climbs higher and higher until it simply fades away, swallowed up by the perfect, unbroken blue of the sky arching overhead and vanishing without a trace.

* * *

_Fin_


End file.
